Free Overnight Parking in Cornwall

[Campervanman]

I've seen people asking about places to park overnight in Cornwall, so as I've collected a lot of information from these news groups over the years, hers something in return.

 

From my collection of free camping places collated from the internet and supplimented by my personal experience here are some free overnight parking places for campervans in Cornwall, and god knows you poor suffering Brits deserve some help to find them.

I can't vouch for them all, but seek and ye shall find, we did in 2007, and if a couple of Australians can free camp all over the UK for six weks, so can you, you just have to try and break out of the over regullated mindset that you have been conditioned to accept as normal.

 

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From my personal data file in 2007.

 

Along B3301 SW of Portreath

 

Basset's Cove P/A, views, flat, NF. High cliffs no access to beach. Rough track in 150meters off B3301. 6/6/2007

 

Numerous small gravel parking areas along B3301. High cliffs, views. No facility or shade. WC at National Trust P/A Godrevy Point, has no accesible water.

 

Cliftop P/A, views,  flat, NF, Other similar areas along B3301nearby.  XX 7/06/2007 8:12:40 AM

 

Godrevy Nat Trust. DAY ONLY.  Several large P/As, WC, no accasible water. Free to NT members. No height baricades. Beach access, no shade. Signs say barriers locked 8 PM, 6/6/2007

 

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Other areas collected from the net, not personally verified.

 

Cornwall A30 Laybys  stopped in several on the A30 down to Cornwall. no one bothered us but that road is busy. holiday weekend I estimated 2,400 cars an hour going to Newquay area.

 

Cornwall  Bodmin Moor   one lay-by in particular on top of moors 1 mile north of Bodmin approx lay-by on left (going south) burger van in situ sign posted to TEMPLE FISHERY parking in pull ins of road loop. WE STAYED FURTHEST FROM THE ROAD for quiet. several cars passed in night going to Temple.

 

Cornwall - Bodmin Moor. - Very rural site at Rough Tor on Bodmin Moor. Just east of Camelford two roads head towards Rough Tor and Brown Willy (these are mountaintops). Narrow road and great switch back road - excellent at full speed but DO make sure road is clear. Great walks up to the Tors though no close pub!

 

Cornwall - Black Head. Follow the A390 into St Austell from Liskeard, after large roundabout and before ASDA-supermarket, turn left towards Penrice Hospital and Porthpean. Road narrows, continue until cross road. Turn left towards Trenarren (Black Head). Great views over St Austell Bay and towards the Gribben (Fowey). Car park before houses. Take left hand lane - rather uneven but passable - until you come to large open space with level parking. Superb walks out to Black Head (NT) but, as luck would have it, no pub. There is the Ship in Pentewan two miles further on from crossroads. Three miles from Heligan and four from Eden.

 

Cornwall - Carn Brea - Just off the Penzance/St Just road near to the airport. Last hill in Cornwall - flat level site but very isolated.

 

Cornwall - Falmouth: long stay Lorry and coach park

 

Cornwall - Hayle Hayle in Cornwall- only a few miles from Lands End. a great little village with fabulous Cornish pasties (real ones) a laundrette there too for those who wild it. There are three sites to wild camp.

 

1 /as you come into town under the arches of the railway viaduct you will see a quayside. it is a large open space and has reasonable view of the quay. very close to the shops.

 

2/ along the road though town signposted "pool" a metal bridge (very narrow but wide enough for us campers) there is an open air swimming pool and a car park for it. We parked here for 2 nights and had no problems alongside a converted bus. they live in it and have used all 3 sites on a regular basis but for a few days at a time only.

 

3/ We didn't get to see this one but were told by the bus drivers. Over the bridge but don't turn left into pool car park, follow road straight on. It says private road and is bumpy, but it goes up to the beach where there is a car park. let us know about it if you visit please.

 

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Cornwall - Launceston. - Heading into the county on the A30, past Launceston, you come off the dual carriageway and, on the left-hand side, there is a small lake and fishing advertised. Pull in and turn to left but not down to the fishery. Empty moorland in front of you!

 

Cornwall - Levant Mine National Trust - THE place to park up for the night. The National Trust and Trevithick Trust own and run Levant mine, a working Cornish steam engine. Just above the site is a large level parking area with stunning views over the Cornish coast, engine houses and out towards Pendeen Watch lighthouse. In the village is an excellent pub - the Trewellard Hotel - one of the friendliest pubs I have been in for a long time! The walk from Levant Mine to the pub is an experience in itself - dark and mysterious - past Cornwall’s ancient mining heritage. Great cliff top walks especially towards Botallack mine, exceptional!

 

Cornwall  Marazine  If you go into Marazine coming from Penzance, just as you drive into the village, turn into the second car park on the right, there is overnight parking there for £4, lovely view of the Mount right overlooking the beach. Out of summer season the car park attendant told me that it is free as there is no one to collect the money then, nice for evening barby on the beach. [Marazine - Not listed in placenames database.]

 

Cornwall  Newquay  boating lake  If anybody does fancy staying in Newquay then I did notice about half a dozen campers parked overnight on the side of the road by the towns boating lake just down from the zoo. Not confirmed 7/6/2007 DB.Newquay is generaly a dead loss for SONPs.

 

Cornwall  Newquay  Crantock Beach Just recently returned from Newquay & found it quite difficult to overnight park anywhere. However, spent two nights over the August Bank Holiday weekend parked down at Crantock Beach which is about a 10 minute drive from the centre of Newquay. Just follow the signs off the A3075 for Crantock. Once in Crantock which is only a small village, follow the signs for the beach. Just past the village shop turn left. The main car park down at the beach does have a 6ft height restriction between 17:00 & 08:00 to try and deter overnight camping I guess, but could not see any signs saying not to. If your vehicle is over 6ft, then there is a second car park just to the right of the main one. There are no payment machines, during the day you just pay the attendant £2.00 to park all day. I've stayed here a couple of times now without any problems. The village shop is only a 10 minute walk back up the hill & in the Summer there is a foot ferry from Crantock Beach across to Newquay. There are toilets in the main car park & a beach kiosk in the second car park. Apart from this there is nothing apart from a splendid beach which in my opinion is far better than the Town Beaches. Not correct 7/6/2007 DB.

 

Cornwall  Paignton  on the seafront.

 

Cornwall  Penzance  A394  a really nice smallish place down in Cornwall. we found these two lay-by's, one either side of the road. take A30 from Penzance and off on to the A394. lay-by's are only a short distance along. The lay-by's are well back from the road and are landscaped with bays. bins are provided for rubbish and views are great. A large mound takes the noise of any traffic away so it is peaceful too.

 

Cornwall - Portscatho on the Roseland Peninsula - idyllic small harbour with pubs! Come into the village off the main (sic) Tregony/St Mawes road - car park on left and short walk into town.

Cornwall - Redruth: a small lorry park.

 

Cornwall – St Austell. There’s a layby between St Austell and Mevagissey

Cornwall  St Just.  If you follow signs to the YHA, there is a little road that meanders through a residential area and then down to a tiny carpark right by the sea. Difficult to find ( it's been a few years since I got down there)- would be useful if one of you locals headed down there and then posted more helpful directions  or check out your Ordinance survey maps.

 

MORE FREE O/N PARKING ACROSS THE UK SEE:-

 

http://campervanman.741.com/UK%202007/2007%20%20National%20Trust%20Crawl%201%20-%20The%20South.htm

[jackso...@gmail.com]

The car park next to the National Trust one in Crantock, does not allow any motor homes or overnight camping. They have CCTV and have called the police on several occasions to move people off the premises. Would advise against trying there.